The Forgotten Wanderer
by DagonKin
Summary: I'd had it with that place. I couldn't take it anymore - the pressure to give myself up, to become like... them. It was crushing me. Naturally, I made the logical choice. I ran. Of course, they followed me. I knew too much to be permitted to run. But they had taught me more than they thought. So why does it feel like I can stop running now?
1. Welcome Home

"Kid, you shouldn't be here," I heard a gruff voice say. At this point, though, I was far too exhausted to even consider trying to bring myself to care. I had been running for the past two weeks, sleeping uneasily when I did, and struggling to keep a low profile when I didn't. All I wanted right now was to fall into a bed and sleep.

Hence the location. I was almost happy for a second that my mother was dead. I could imagine that there would be no end to her shame, both for herself and for me if she ever caught wind that I'd spent a night in a building like this. But, beggars can't be choosers, as the saying goes, and the idea somehow wormed its way into my head that a brothel would be the best place to go for confidentiality.

I can only imagine the number of customers that a brothel would lose if it had a reputation for exposing their clientele.

I pushed my way past the bouncer at the door and walked into the building, not even glancing at the rather buxom woman who was seated at a desk set up just inside the building. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw that she wore a very… revealing, outfit, to say the least. It was a dress that covered her from chest to ankle, but had a very low cut neck that hung extremely loosely from her body. It also had only a very thin string tying the front of the dress to the back, keeping the draft from the door opening and closing from pulling it away and revealing her generous assets. The side view also revealed that there was no way she was wearing anything underneath it.

She tried to say something to me, but I ignored her. I wasn't here for business or pleasure, though I was sure that in this establishment, those were one and the same. I shouldered my way past her and walked up the stairs to one of the rooms above. Somehow, my mental faculties were sufficient enough to ensure that I didn't enter a room that was currently occupied, and I collapsed into a very soft bed, falling asleep before my head even hit the pillow.

* * *

Sunlight filtered its way through the curtains and blinds, navigating its way through a complex maze of glass and drapes before landing on my face. Groaning, the light slowly wormed its way into my groggy brain and woke me up slowly.

As I sat up and took in my surroundings, I noted with no small amount of surprise that I wasn't alone in the room. Laying on the bed next to me was a woman with blond hair that extended down to the middle of her back. She was on her stomach, which, unfortunately, was on my arm, and she had wrapped both of her arms around my arm, so there was no hope of me extricating myself from her grasp without waking her.

Oh, and she was naked. Honestly, not all that surprising, given that my current refuge was a brothel.

Sighing, I gave my arm a slight tug to see how unlikely my escape would be. To my great regret, the slight movement caused her to shift, and cling tighter to my arm, and she mumbled something unintelligible into the mattress. _Honestly, this could be a lot worse,_ I mused as I resigned myself to my fate.

As such, I was pleasantly surprised when the woman mumbled something else that was unintelligible before rolling over and sitting up, releasing my trapped arm. Turning to face me, a sultry smile lit up her face as her eyes roamed over my body. It was likely she was imagining what I looked like without all of my clothing on.

I felt my face heat up slightly at that look on her face, particularly the lustful glint in her eyes. Something told me that she was one of the few brothel workers one could find who actually enjoyed their work, and didn't need to be threatened with some form of punishment. Hell, maybe she enjoyed punishment. It wasn't like I would know.

She leaned forward, her chest brushing against my upper arm as her lips grazed my ear. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" she murmured in a low, sultry, and husky voice, her hands pressing into my chest, urging me to submit to her ministrations.

"Unfortunately, I'm not here for pleasure or business. I just needed a place to sleep that's off the so called grid," I replied momentarily.

"Well," she continued coyly, pressing into me, her fingers trailing down my chest. "We only guarantee the confidentiality of paying customers," she whispered, her hot breath flowing over my ear as she lifted her leg and slid it between my thighs, lowing her hips.

"I'm not interested in your services," I hissed through clenched teeth. It was taking a substantial amount of my willpower to resist her charms. "I'm willing to pay for your silence, though."

"That would make you paying, but not a customer," she replied in her enticing voice as her fingers started to wander below my stomach. Her tongue darted out, tickling my ear before she arched her back, leaning away from me and flaunting her voluptuous form. As a consequence, she ended up grinding her hips into my thigh not all that uncomfortably. Seizing the opportunity, I quickly sat up and rolled her off of me before rising to my feet.

"As I said, I'm not interested in your services," I managed to say between labored breaths. Damn, she was attractive, and shit, she was hard to resist. I mentally patted myself on the back for having escaped her feminine wiles.

Opening the door, though, I was greeted with an unfavorable sight. Two unfavorable sights, actually.

Unfavorable sight number one was a woman, if she could be called that, who I both recognized and feared. She was a sadistic slaver who took what she wanted with little care for who or what she destroyed to get it. She also had a very twisted sense of humor, finding great entertainment and joy in the pain and suffering of others - particularly if she was the one inflicting it. Perhaps most notable about her appearance was the helmet she wore that had two large horns sticking out to the side like handlebars, with an attached mask that covered most of her face, save for her blue eyes and her purple lips.

Unfavorable sight number two was another woman who I recognized. Of course it would be these two who would find me first. Why wouldn't it be? She too had horns, though hers were growing from the sides of her head, and she had a black tattoo on her forehead. Overall, on a scale of one to ten, I was fucked. If I were actually there.

"Kyouka… Sayla… fancy meeting you two here," I muttered in greeting.

"Ornyx, what a coincidence," Kyouka said, a dark smile forming on her face. "We've been looking for you." Glancing past me, she looked into the room and noticed the naked blonde. "Have you been having fun without us?" she accused, somehow simultaneously glaring at both me and the woman.

"N-No, No," I stammered out.

"Good," Kyouka whispered into my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. God, she creeped the hell out of me. Honestly, what is it with the Etherious being creepy as all hell? "You know how displeased I would be if you had."

"By the way," Sayla spoke up, reminding us she was there. "You didn't honestly think you could get away, did you? You knew that we had the time and resources to track you down before you fled."

"But I did," I said, earning a confused look. "Get away, that is."

"Well, you did. But you won't again," Kyouka darkly threatened.

"No, no, you misunderstand," I countered. "I got away now." Sayla's eyes narrowed in response to my statement. Her left hand shot out, grabbing for my throat, only to pass through as my body faded into nothing. Naturally, since I was gone, I don't fully know what happened next, so I will not elaborate on what followed.

* * *

I let out a sigh of relief as my consciousness returned to my real body. It had been two weeks since I had escaped from the clutches of Tartaros, and this was by far the closest they had come to capturing me. I probably most definitely would need to seek help from somewhere if I was going to continue to evade capture. Maybe one of the Guilds would accept me. Only problem was whether or not a guild actually existed that was strong enough to match Tartaros. And if they would be willing to risk the wrath of Tartaros.

And so it happened that, in my wandering that day, I managed to mistake a Guild Hall for a tavern and strode in like I owned the damn place. In my defense, it did actually have a bar and tables, and the bar sold food and alcohol, as well as some non-alcoholic drinks. Still, I strode in and decided that I needed something to drink and eat to still my nerves after the meeting that morning.

"Do you have something with any calming effects?" I asked the woman behind the bar counter. She had white hair that reached all the way down her back, her bangs held up by a small hair binder and she had clear blue eyes. All in all, it was quite an enchanting look. Also, a strangely familiar look. I knew her from somewhere, but I couldn't think of where.

"We have some alcohol, but it's a bit early for drinking," she replied. "Also, that might not be the sort of calm you're looking for."

"I don't care what it is, I just need something," I responded disinterestedly, my gaze wandering around the large room I was in. The ceiling was high and arched, and didn't seem like the sort of thing a tavern would normally have, but that wasn't something I paid incredibly too much attention to. Over on the far wall from the entrance was what appeared to be a bulletin board with messages pinned to it - some sort of bounty board? A message board? Again, not important enough to draw my attention.

What was important enough, though, were the other patrons of this supposed tavern. At the time, I still thought it was a tavern, though I soon realized my mistake. Just not at this point in time yet. Anyways, I digress. The people here were extremely rowdy, to the point of it being barely possible for me to concentrate on my drink.

Especially obnoxious were two guys who looked like they were nearing adulthood. One of them had short, spiky pink hair, and was wearing a black coat with gold trim and one sleeve, white pants, and a white scarf. The other was currently not wearing a shirt, revealing a muscled and well toned body, as well as a black tattoo of what appeared to be a sprinting bird or something on his chest. He had black hair, and it looked like he and the other guy were just itching to duke it out.

Idly gesturing towards the two, I decided to ask a few questions regarding their behavior. "Isn't there a bouncer or something? Someone to make sure that a brawl doesn't start and destroy the place?"

The bartender spared a moment to glance at the obvious disturbance before shrugging. "Those two go at it all the time. Give it a minute before Erza decides to put a stop to it."

It was at this point that I noticed a tattoo identical to the one on the black haired guys chest on the pink haired guys arm, and the same symbol hanging from the rafters on a tapestry. This was when I became suspicious that this might not actually be a tavern.

"This isn't a normal tavern, is it?" I sheepishly asked my snow-haired companion. I use the term 'companion' loosely, because I didn't even know her name, but she was the only one who was speaking with me. In response to my question, she merely giggled and shook her head.

"This is the Fairy Tail Guild Hall. You must be new in town," she said, extending a hand. "I'm Mira. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Ornyx, and the pleasure is all mine," I replied smoothly. _Yes, quite smoothly. Why are my pants wet?_ I looked down and realized with a groan that in my eagerness to shake hands with Mira, I had successfully managed to fail epicly and knock my drink over, spilling it into my lap. Grumbling, I tried to get as much liquid as possible off of me before it could soak into my clothing, but unfortunately, my clothes were very absorbent.

"So," I started, trying to distract myself from my wet pants, "What is Fairy Tail?"

Mira gave me a look that was half disbelief, half amusement. "We're a Wizard Guild," she simply stated. "One of the best out there."

I raised an eyebrow at that. "That's a pretty tall statement," I playfully muttered.

"But a true one," she interrupted cheerfully before I could continue. True or not, though, there was little doubt in my mind that they would be crushed if Tartaros came after them. Maybe I'm a pessimist, but hey, if it keeps people alive, than I don't really care.

"Anyways," I said, rising to my feet, "I should probably get going. Places to be, people to not see, that sort of thing." I set my now empty mug down on the counter and turned towards the door, just in time to see a woman with long red hair, a steel breastplate, and a sword step through the door.

"Why don't you stay, at least for a little bit?" Mira asked, gesturing to the two brawlers with one hand, and the redhead with the other. "Erza's here, so this should be amusing."

It's amazing how fast some rumours can spread through a crowded room, especially those based on truth. Hardly fifteen seconds after Mira informed me of Erza's arrival, the entire guild was made aware of Erza's presence. That is, everyone except for the two idiots who were brawling.

"Natsu Dragneel… Gray Fullbuster," the redhead said in an ominous tone. "What exactly do you think you're doing?"

I gathered that Natsu and Gray were the names of the two fighting idiots from that statement. What was humorous, though, were their reactions. Natsu pointed at Gray - or was it Gray pointing at Natsu? I don't know, all I knew were their names. Regardless, it's unimportant, because Gray pointed at Natsu at the same time that Natsu pointed at Gray.

Then, both looking at Erza, they simultaneously laid blame on the other. "He started it."

"I don't care who started it. I only care that both of you were willingly involved in the fighting. If you're so intent on fighting," she announced, an evil smile finding its way to her face, "Why don't you fight me?"

"Awesome! I'm finally going to beat you ErzaaaaAAAAAA!" the pink haired guy shouted, though it turned into a scream after Erza uppercutted him, launching him into the rafters. A cloud of dust fell from his impact site, raining down on the tables below. Mira let out a slight giggle.

"As I said," Gray stammered, his hands held protectively in front of him to ward of Erza. "Natsu started it. I don't need to fight you."

Unfortunately for him, his words fell on deaf ears as Erza raised a fist and 'dropped' it on Gray's head. I couldn't stop myself from wincing when the dust cleared, and there was a distinctly Gray-shaped indentation in the floor. I glanced at Mira, but was surprised to see that she had already dismissed the event and was returning to her bartending.

"Judging by yours, and everyone else's complete lack of a reaction, this sort of thing is normal?" I asked, somewhat curious now. Mira merely spared a glance for me and nodded before returning to wiping down the one mug that every bartender is always wiping, but is never finished cleaning. Gesturing to the mug, I continued. "You know, you've wiped that thing down at least a dozen times since I sat down."

"Actually, I've wiped it down two dozen times," she teasingly retorted. "By the way, if you're going to head out, you should be careful. There have been reports of two highly dangerous dark wizards from one of the worst Dark Guilds in the area."

I nodded while my brain struggled to comprehend her words. It clicked when I remembered that Tartaros, despite their attempts to persuade me otherwise, were in fact a Dark Guild. "In that case, maybe I should stay a little longer. After all, it wouldn't hurt to stay somewhere they're unlikely to show up, would it?"

Mira directed a small smile towards me. "Of course not," she agreed, though she did narrow her eyes at me. At the time, being the fool that I was, I didn't notice the slight shift in her demeanor. The slight shift that became even more noticeable when I spoke next.

"Does anyone know why they're here?" I offhandedly asked in an attempt to appear disinterested.

"Rumour has it that they're looking for someone," Mira answered, staring at me. I blinked under her intense gaze, trying to not back down at all. I think it worked, but I couldn't be certain. "But it shouldn't matter too much. Mystogan took a request to run them off," she continued as she gestured towards the bulletin board. All the while she stared at me with those intense eyes.

Obviously I did something that gave myself away. To this day, I don't know what it was, though. "Good luck to him," I said. "He'll need it."

"The confidence in your voice when you say that is telling," Mira said, all traces of humor leaving her face. "So… Either you know something about Mystogan… Or you know something about the two dark wizards. Care to spill?"

I tried to take another drag from my glass, only to realize that it was still empty. With a sigh, I decided it couldn't hurt to tell her. I mean, I didn't have any legitimately enjoyable memories of my years with Tartaros. "Kyouka. She's a member of the Dark Guild Tartaros, and one of the Nine Demon Gates. Supposedly, she has ties with Zeref."

Mira's eyes widened slightly at the revelation, but before she could speak I continued. "Sayla. Also a member of the Dark Guild Tartaros, also one of the Nine Demon Gates. Also, alleged to have ties with Zeref. Both are as cold, calculating, and cruel as it gets. Oh, and they're extremely powerful."

After a brief moment of silence, during which Mira refilled my glass, she spoke with a slight tremor in her voice. "How do you know who they are?"

Having the penchant for suspense that I have, I took a drink before answering. "I'm the person that they're looking for," I flatly answered. "As you guessed." I extended my hand towards her. "Ornyx Deathwalker, at your service."

Her eyes widened even more, which was surprising because I thought that would be physically impossible, given how wide they had been before. Evidently she recognized the name. "You were there," she whispered, recognition dawning on her.

Okay. That was confusing. I was where? "Pardon?" I asked, somewhat taken aback. "What do you mean by that?"

"That night, you were there," she growled, anger seeping into her voice. "When Lisanna died, you were there."

Oh. That's why she was familiar. She was one of the first people I encountered during my first excursion out of the Guild Hall. Supposedly, it was a reconnaissance mission to scout out potential enemies. Kyouka was there with me that night to keep an eye on me and make sure nothing bad happened to me. Secretly, I thought that she was there to do something else, but whatever it was, I didn't know at the time. I figured out what it was only much later.

"Now that I think about it, I was there," I admitted, not understanding where she was going with this. I flinched when her hand crashed down on the table, cracking it. A glance at her face told me more than I needed to know. I guess that it may have been slightly possible that she might potentially blame me for the death of this Lisanna person.

The strange thing was that there was no body, though.

In an attempt to calm down the angering barmaid, I raised my hands before me placatingly. I'd swear I imagined it, but there was a meter above her head with the title "Mirajane Anger Bar" with a little tick mark near the very far right that had a note attached that read "Transformation!". Oh, and the meter was quickly filling up.

"I was there, yeah, but I didn't have anything to do with the Beast. If anyone did, it was Kyouka," I managed to say without stuttering too much. "I thought she was there for a reason other than to observe me."

Slowly, and with several deep but uncertain breaths, the tension left Mira's shoulders and she unclenched her fists. I myself let out a breath that I didn't realize I had been holding. It was somewhat intimidating to be on the receiving end of a glare as long and intense as the one she had sent my way before she calmed down.

Before I could really relax, though, her hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. Had I been expecting it, there were are large number of things I could have done to prevent it - cut off her hand, move mine, grab her wrist, stand up, shove her… the list goes on and on. Nonetheless, her speed caught me by surprise as she dragged me to my feet and away from the bar. Despite my protests, she dragged me along without a hint as to our destination.

I was dropped rather unceremoniously in front of a very short, yet very ancient looking man. Maybe he was short because he was ancient, but I don't think old people shrink enough to change their entire skeletal structure. The man was very nearly bald, with the exception of two spiky tufts of hair as white as Mira's that grew above his ears.

"Mira, what have I told you about guests?" the old man asked in a gravelly voice.

"I'm sorry, Master, but it seems that he has some knowledge about those two black wizards that are wandering around and destroying every inn they come across. As well, it appears, as that brothel this morning."

 _Oh. Shit._ I didn't realize quite how little they cared about killing people and destroying lives. I felt my face start to burn as I realized that it was my fault that those establishments were destroyed. Somehow, tears managed to threaten to squeeze their way out of my eyes. _Strange_. I thought that Kyouka had beaten all the tears out of me that I would ever shed.

Mira continued, oblivious of my emotional struggles. "He said that they're high ranking members of Tartaros. One is named Kyouka, and the other is named Sayla." What she didn't notice, though, the Master did. He held up a hand, stalling her, and turned his attention to me.

"So the one who was lost has found his way once more?" the old man asked, clearly directing it at me, but I didn't understand him. One who was lost? What did that mean? I raised my head to look at him, unable to keep the tears from escaping my eyes. A single tear rolled down my cheek, before dropping off of my chin and hitting the floor with a faint plop.

"That single tear holds far greater import now than the tragedies of your past," he kindly said, turning his full attention towards me. How was it possible for him to know about my past? All my life, all I had known was suffering. It was inconceivable that he would understand the hell that Tartaros put me through, or the suffering that I felt in my years before Tartaros found me, right?

"What are you getting at, Master?" Mira asked, only to be shoved aside by the old man.

"What have I said about interrupting me when I'm in the middle of something important?" he sternly asked.

Mira was silent for a moment as her head hung. "Don't," she dejectedly answered.

"Exactly," the Master agreed, letting the matter drop. Returning his attention to me, he looked at me, and passed me. At least, it felt like that. "Welcome home, wanderer," he warmly intoned.

I looked at him blankly. "What?" I asked.

Confusion covered his face. "I said, welcome home, wanderer," he reiterated.

"I know what you said," I muttered. This was getting ridiculous. "I'm wondering why you said it."

"Because," the old man said, irritation setting in, "Welcome home, wanderer!" I still gave him a blank look, and his irritation seemed to rise as he started muttering to himself. I didn't quite catch everything he said, but I heard the words "Mest," "Memory," and "Strong." It would have been comical if it hadn't involved me.

Having calmed down, the old man turned to me again. "Well, Ornyx, since it seems the memory trigger Mest put in isn't working properly, I'll have to explain a few things. I hear that you call yourself Ornyx Deathwalker now, yes?"

I nodded in confirmation, but he continued before I could say anything. "Well, your true name is Ornyx Lightblood, you're…" he trailed off as he counted on his fingers. "Sixteen years old, almost seventeen, an orphan, and a member of Fairy Tail since you were seven."

I nodded, sarcastically this time. "Right. If that's the case, why do I have no memories of this place?"

The old man sighed. "Why did your magic have to go haywire when you messed with your own memories, Mest?" he asked no one in particular. Turning back to me, he continued. "When you were nine, you volunteered for an infiltration mission. I don't know exactly why, but you did. In order for us to ensure that you had even a chance of success, your memories needed to be altered, such that you would be able to give no hints of your origins away. Our resident memory wizard at the time, Mest, removed your memories of Fairy Tail, as well as everyone's memories of you. He then proceeded to go on an infiltration mission of his own, for which he altered his own memories."

"It is my belief that his alteration of his own memories affected the spell he cast on you," the old man finished.

"And I'm supposed to believe that a non-existent wizard named Mest messed with my mind?" I asked incredulously. Hey, if you were in my position, you'd also find it hard to believe.

"I suppose there is one way that I can prove it to you. Show me your guild mark," the old man commanded. I hesitated, unsure what exactly would happen when he saw that it was a Tartaros mark.

My fears were dashed when he impatiently continued. "I don't have all day. I know it'll be a Dark Guild mark, so don't worry about that." Reluctantly, I lifted my shirt a small amount and twisted to the left, revealing a mark that looked somewhat like an insane face with small, beady eyes - the Guild Mark of Tartaros.

"I don't recognize that mark," Mira tentatively said.

"I've seen it once before," the old man said nervously. He placed his hand over the mark and closed his eyes. "As you know, Guild Marks are a unique form of tattoo. They are permanent, unless they're removed by the Guildmaster of the Guild they represent, with one exception. At least that I know of. If a wizard joins more than one Guild before leaving their first one, any subsequent Guild Marks will not permanently stick."

He removed his hand, and my eyes widened a bit at the sight. In nearly the exact same position as my Tartaros Guild Mark, there was an image of what looked like a bird in the middle of sprinting - the same mark that hung from the tapestry, and the same one that both Natsu and Gray were flaunting.

It was something. Not too much, but enough to pique my curiosity. Enough to make me question whether or not the story he told me was true. It didn't seem like he was lying, though, but it also didn't feel like he was revealing the full truth. It was apparently sufficient for Mira, though.

"Welcome home, Ornyx," she said with a smile and a small wave.

* * *

 **A/N: Time for the obligatory first chapter author's note, I guess.**

 **Yay, first Fairy Tail fiction I've written. I'm putting this in the T category because the little scene at the very beginning is probably going to be the only one to reach that level of suggestiveness. If enough people think I should up the rating a bit, let me know and I'll figure something out.**

 **As I'm sure you're sick of hearing, reviews are like water to authors. It's only possible to go so long without them before we dry out.**


	2. Time Skip

**A/N: I just realized I forgot to say in the last chapter that I don't own Fairy Tail.**

 **Yes, you're all amazed and astounded at this revelation. I can tell.**

* * *

I never met Mystogan, but I heard through the grapevine that he convinced Kyouka and Sayla that continuing to search for me was a bad idea. When I heard the news, it felt as if a great weight had been taken off of my shoulders. I remember breathing a sigh of relief that day - the last one for a year.

That isn't to say that I never felt stressed again. It's just… When you're being chased by two people who you know would practically tear you apart when they caught you, it tends to give you a new perspective on stress.

Especially when it involves one Natsu Dragneel. Man, that guy is tough to be around, especially if he thinks that you're stronger than he is. Fortunately for me, he doesn't think I'm stronger than him, so I don't have to deal with him constantly badgering me for a fight. Unlike poor Erza. God, that girl's patience must wear thin.

It had been about a year since I fled Tartaros, and I had mostly come to terms with my memories being altered. The sense of familiarity I felt while within the Guild Hall was what cinched it for me more than anything else those first few months. I found myself navigating the place like I'd been walking those halls my entire life. That was when it dawned on me that there was no way I should have been capable of doing that unless Makarov was right about me being a guild member.

Fast forward to today. Natsu had been gone for a few days following up a lead on Igneel, his father. From what I understood, there were rumors of a Salamander being spotted in the port city of Hargeon, and he had taken off with barely a moment's notice. While it was nice around the guild without Natsu starting a fight every five minutes, I was forced to admit that it was kind of dull.

Gray, without Natsu to argue with, seemed absolutely bored out of his mind. He had idly formed a chess set out of ice and was sliding pieces back and forth on it, not really accomplishing anything other than keeping his hands occupied. Seeing his predicament, I decided that I might try to help him out.

"Gray, pawn E-4," I called out to him. He looked around in surprise as he heard my voice, and spinning around, saw me approaching. With a sense of purpose he hadn't exhibited before, he moved a pawn two spaces towards the center of the board. He responded with moving a knight to C-6.

"Pawn D-3," I said, watching as he moved the piece. He advanced a pawn to B-7. It was a fairly standard opening, one that developed his queenside while leaving his kingside versatile enough to allow adaptation to my offensive strategies. The game continued in that manner for some time, me calling out my moves, Gray moving all the pieces. I was just about to spring a trap that would net me both his queen and a rook with the sacrifice of a bishop when the doors swung open.

"Oh, great," I muttered without turning around. When Natsu comes home, you can just _feel_ it. There's a sort of apprehension in the air that is entirely unique to Natsu. "Look what the cat dragged in."

A high pitched "Aye, sir!" bored its way into my eardrums. God, that cat is obnoxious. "Aye this, aye that, sir this, sir that." The only way it could get more annoying is if he flew into your face when he did that. Oh, wait, he's got wings - he can and _does_ do that.

To make matters worse, he stormed over to Gray almost as soon as he set foot in the Guild Hall. "Oi, snow brains! The tip you gave me was false!" he shouted. It was obvious he was looking for a fight. Hell, he's always looking for a fight. The only times he's not looking for a fight are when he's eating and when he's napping.

Gray calmly looked up at Natsu. For once, it almost looked like he might respond in a civil manner. My hopes were dashed when the look of complacency slid off of his face and he recognized his rival. Honestly, with the way those two act, it's impossible to tell whether or not they're actually friends or not.

"How was I supposed to know? All I said was that there was a rumor of some fire breathing lizard in Hargeon recently! You took off before I could even finish telling you everything, you idiot!" _Here we go,_ I sighed. _I knew the peace wouldn't last._

Turning away from the two in an effort to get out of the splash zone, I was met with the sight of a new face in the hall. Tall-ish, blonde, brown eyes, and a rather large chest, she stood with her mouth hanging slightly open at the scene that was unravelling before her. Behind me, I could hear the sounds of the fight getting larger.

"Ice Make: Icicle!" Gray's voice shouted. I could hear the liquid in the air condensing and forming into a large, jagged, and sharp icicle above Natsu. Sparing a quick glance behind me, I noted with some surprise that it was a large icicle - if it fell, it'd be hitting me too, and this unfortunate girl.

I grabbed the girl's shoulder and pulled her to the side towards the bar, where my usual seat was. "Fire Dragon's Fist!" I heard Natsu yell in response, followed by the sound of ice cracking and water evaporating. Gesturing Mira over, I leaned over the bar in an attempt to make myself heard over the sound behind me.

"Could you get me a strawberry bubble tea?" I asked. "Extra pearls, if possible." The barmaid nodded and bent down to get the necessary materials while I turned my attention to the blonde who still stood frozen beside me. "Y'know, you can sit down," I suggested.

Mutely, she sat down, her gaze still fixed on the fight that was taking place. Gray had managed to swing a massive hammer made of ice horizontally at Natsu. The fire wizard simply ducked under it, though, and the hammer was so large that Gray couldn't stop its movement. Unfortunately, it smashed into a nearby Elfman - Mira's brother, and he got involved, yelling something about manliness.

I sighed as Mira placed a strawberry flavored drink down on the counter. "Thanks, Mira," I said as I picked up the drink. "Do you know if Erza's around? I don't feel like stopping this myself," I asked, gesturing at the brawl that had expanded to include Cana, Loke, Jet, Droy, Natsu, Gray, Elfman, Macao, and Wakaba. Several members, myself included, were content to sit on the sidelines and watch.

Mira spared a glance for the brawl before she started wiping a glass. Where the hell did that glass come from? She wasn't holding it a moment ago. "I've no idea where Erza is," she answered. "It may be that you need to stop them."

I sighed. "I just don't feel up to it," I replied, taking a sip from my drink. "As always, this tastes divine," I commented to Mira. She smiled in response, before turning her attention to the unidentified girl who I had dragged away from the brawl.

"Excuse me, Miss," Mira greeted, "Would you like anything to drink, or do you have any questions?"

The girl shook her head violently, as if coming out of a stupor. She looked around, seeing me and Mira, then looked back at the melee in the middle of the room. Pointing, she took up Mira's offer. "Is this normal?" she asked dubiously.

"I actually worry when something like this doesn't happen at least once a week," I replied. "Does that answer your question?"

She nodded with wide eyes, wincing when she saw Natsu get hit in the head by a giant ice mallet. I glanced away from the fight towards the door, glad to see a familiar silhouette. "Oh look," I commented offhandedly. "Erza's back."

I drew my as-yet-unnamed companion's attention to the door, which was currently filled with a terrifying shadow that looked kind of like a mallet, actually - thin handle, huge head, with a sharp side and a blunt side. "Oh. She's got some kind of trophy," I muttered.

I had a sense of deja vu as word of Erza's arrival spread its way through the Guild Hall. Everyone who was brawling, with the exception of that damned cat who somehow managed to get involved, froze instantly. Gray, quite literally. I managed to get myself quite the amusing view of the blonde's face as she saw the effect that the mere mention of Erza's presence had on the rest of the guild.

Slowly, Erza entered the guild hall, everyone's attention drawn to the gigantic horn that she was carrying on her shoulder, with one or two exceptions. I myself was more focused on the blonde's facial reactions, as those were priceless, while Mira was continually wiping that glass. Seriously. Where did that glass come from. It's going to drive me absolutely insane one day.

"I take a single day to finish a request to deal with a herd of giant horned beasts of unknown origin, and I come back to this," she ominously announced, letting the horn fall to the floor with an earth shattering crash. "Just once I'd like to come home and not have to deal with this constant brawling. I'm sick and tired of this shit! Natsu! Gray! I know you two started this. Get over here!"

I watched in amusement as the two responsible slid over to her, trying to make themselves as small as possible. "I don't care what the problem is between you two," Erza muttered in a low and menacing tone, "But you need to sort it out. Next time I come home to this, one of you is losing a head. Got it?"

Both of them quickly nodded, apologizing quickly. The moment Erza turned her back on them, though, they were at each other's throats, strangling eachother. I burst out in laughter at that. Erza may be terrifying, but those two refuse to stay terrified.

Of course, my laughter drew Erza's attention. She briskly walked towards me as I took a sip of my drink. "You," she menaced. "Ornyx. Why didn't you stop them?"

I laughed again at the antics of the two behind her before replying. "Oh, hey Erza. 'Sup?"

I will admit, when Erza's taller than you, she can be pretty intimidating. That intimidation loses its effect when the only reason she's taller than you is because you're sitting down, but still. With the way the light cast shadows on her face, I felt a tingle go down my spine.

"What's up is that you did nothing to prevent that brawl," Erza stated in her threatening tone.

"I didn't want to get involved," I replied, somewhat smugly. "Besides, Erza, tone down the intimidation factor. You're scaring the pants off of our guest." I gestured towards the unnamed blonde. "Why don't we all introduce ourselves?" I asked, grabbing Erza by the wrist and extending her hand towards the blonde.

With my other hand, I grabbed the blondes wrist and reached her hand out to grab Erza's. When the two touched, I shook both of them up and down. In an imitation of Erza's voice, I greeted the blonde. "Hello! My name's Erza, and I've got a stick up my a - "

Not my smartest move. Would have been smarter if I'd grabbed Erza's other hand as well, but I've only got two hands. I was cut off when Erza's other hand whipped around and slapped me in the face. With her armored gauntlet. Yeah, that smarts a bit.

"Geez, fine, Erza. Introduce yourself, then. I was just trying to make it easier for you," I said with a grin. Erza just sighed, but introduced herself anyways.

"Hello. My name is Erza Scarlet. Welcome to the Fairy Tail Guild Hall."

I leaned in a little closer, slightly curious about this stranger. There was something about her that made her seem familiar, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. "Hi," she quietly said. "My name's Lucy, and I'm really excited to be here. I've read a lot about Fairy Tail from Sorcerer's Weekly, and I've been wanting to join for a while now."

"That could be arranged pretty easily if you had someone to vouch for you," I said. "Shouldn't be too difficult to get one of these clowns to vouch for you if you give them a week." I extended my hand to her, taking a sip from my drink with the other. "Ornyx Lightblood, at your service."

Erza scowled. "If you were at our services, you would have stepped in and prevented those idiots from destroying as much of the Guild Hall as they did," she muttered mostly to herself.

"I resent that," I shot back. "If I'd gotten involved, all that would have happened is you would be yelling at me to stop brawling as well. You can't have it both ways."

She opened her mouth to retort, but then seemed to think better of it. Turning to Lucy, she decided to change the subject. "So Lucy. What brings you here?"

I smirked. "More like who," I murmured into my glass, earning a glare from Erza. I gave her as innocent a look I could manage. "What did I do now, Erza?"

She simply sighed, sat down, and buried her face in her hands. "Mira, get me something strong… please," she practically begged. Of course, if you asked her, she would say she requested her drink with dignity, and if you asked anyone in front of her, they would agree. Get them alone, though, and it's a different story. She totally begged.

It was then that Lucy spoke. "I came here with Natsu. I ran into him in Hargeon, and he invited me to come back with him."

"I heard that Natsu was in Hargeon," Erza commented.

"Yeah. How else would the entirety of a port towns docks get completely destroyed?" I added in a chipper tone. "I mean, Gray might also accomplish such a feat, but it'd be a lot harder for him."

Erza completely ignored that statement. "Mira. Drink. Now. Please," she ordered as she slammed her fist down on the counter, cracking it. I winced. Maybe I should lay back on the teasing for now.

Ah, who am I kidding? I'm on a roll. There's nothing that can stop me. Except for that thing which happens to be happening right now.

"Alright!" Master Makarov shouted from the railing on the second floor. "Listen up you brats! I have just received this stack of reports from the Magic Council, regarding damages inflicted on various locations by members of Fairy Tail!"

He jumped off of the railing and landed on one of the tables with a thud. Fortunately for him, he landed on one of the sturdy tables that didn't collapse when he landed. "I have had it up to here," he continued, raising his hand to forehead level, "With all this damned paperwork you're getting me!"

"That's not very much," I stage whispered. Hell, nothing's gonna stop this roll, not even the thing that stops me when I'm on rolls. Maybe it's the tapioca acting up. Yeah, it's the tapioca. I should eat more tapioca.

"Thank you so very much for your input, Ornyx," good ole Master Makarov sarcastically stated. "As I was saying. Because of the vast number of laws you lot have bent or outright broken, the Magic Council has demanded I submit a file regarding each and every one of you!"

The master began to grow in size, surprising no one but Lucy, who watched in abject horror. "Well, here's what I say to that!" the old man shouted, raising a letter which likely had the 'request' from the council on it. "Screw the Magic Council! If those fools would rather let people die than deal with complaints of property damage, will we let people die? NO! This is Fairy Tail! We follow our hearts and do what is RIGHT! So, little brats! Keep on doing what you're doing, and show the world that if you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us!"

Before his voice could even echo, he ignited the letter from the council and threw it into the air. Natsu immediately leapt after it and bit down on it, receiving a light chuckle from the Master and myself. As the speech began to sink in, various members of the guild began to cheer. Naturally, Natsu spearheaded the cheer squad, shouting something about letting the world know the might of Fairy Tail.

About a minute later, Natsu sauntered over to Lucy and I. Erza had departed following the Master's speech grumbling something about rules existing for a reason or something, and Mira had left the bar untended while she went about the hall taking orders. I smirked when the matchstick grew near. This would not be a quiet day.

"So, Lucy!" the excitable fire wizard commented as he approached. "What do you think? Still want to join Fairy Tail?"

"Yes!" she replied almost instantly. Neat, new member today.

"I'll get the stamp," I grumbled, not trusting Natsu to not screw it up. I leapt over the counter and strolled over to the drawers containing guild supplies. I returned a moment later the the guild stamp. "Before I do this, I'm obligated to make sure you know a few things," I said as I arrived.

"First, the tattoo will not take if you already have a guild mark anywhere on your body." She nodded in understanding. I think. "Second, only the Guild Master or Magic Council can remove this guild stamp."

"Alright," she replied.

"So where do you want me to put it?" I asked. "Natsu has his on his arm, I have mine on my abdomen, Erza's is on her arm, Cana has hers on her stomach. I can put it pretty much anywhere." _Yup. Anywhere. That includes other places._

"Let's just go simple and put it on the back of my hand," Lucy said, extending her hand, palm facing downwards.

"Booooring." Regardless, I do as she says and place the stamp on the back of her hand. "Any color preference?"

"Pink."

I remove the stamp, revealing a pink tattoo that looks like a sprinting bird. God, when am I ever going to see it as something else? When is the Guild mark going to turn into something that can be described more easily? I complain about the most trivial things…

"Welcome to Fairy Tail, Lucy. Would you like something to drink? Menu's over there," I gestured behind me to the board.

"I will have an herbal tea," she said. I leapt over the counter and quickly walked over to Mira.

"Oi, Mira. Lucy wants an herbal tea," I announced as I pointed over to our newest member. Mira gave me a smile before returning to the counter, with me following a little bit behind. I haven't finished my drink, after all.

"So, Lucy. We should form a team!" Natsu announced, far louder than was strictly necessary. I winced as his voice grated in my ears.

"Natsu, calm down," I begged. "My ears can only take so much punishment."

"Sorry, Orny," he apologized.

"And don't call my Orny!" I growled at him in frustration. He simply flashed me a smile before turning back to Lucy.

"So what do you say? We could be Team Natsu!" he excitedly continued.

Lucy gave him a blank look. "What do you mean by form a team?" she asked, confused. Natsu returned her blank look. I decided to interrupt before he managed to embarrass her further.

"While all the wizard's in the guild are generally capable of taking care of themselves on jobs, some groups decide to get together to form teams to work on jobs together. This allows them to get more jobs done faster and with less effort, as well as making them safer. Currently, we have Team Shadowgear and the Thunder God Tribe."

"At the very least," I continued, "It'll make getting yourself situated much easier. Natsu should act like a guide for you, introducing you to everyone and stuff."

"Oh. Sure," Lucy said, eliciting a shout from Natsu.

"You have my deepest sympathies, Lucy," I deadpanned, taking a sip of my tea.

"Eh?" she responded. "Why do I have your sympathy?"

I gestured at Natsu, who was now starting another brawl, much to Erza's chagrin. "You're going to have to deal with that practically 24/7." I watched in barely contained amusement as her eyes widened, understanding dawning on her. "Don't worry," I continued in an unsympathetic tone. "I'm sure everything will work out just fine."

* * *

I later learned that everything did not go fine. Natsu took Lucy on a 'simple' mission to destroy a book for an absurdly high reward, but their plans consistently failed. To start with, Natsu planned to disguise Lucy as a maid to sneak into the Everlue mansion to steal the book. But apparently, Duke Everlue had some weird fetishes, and considered Lucy too ugly to hire. I don't know the exact details, but I do know that instead of destroying the book, they brought it back to the guy who wanted it destroyed.

As it turns out, the book was written by the guy's father, and he wanted it destroyed because it was the worst book the author had ever written. The book was written under threat of blackmail, though, and was designed to be bad because it had a hidden message to the author's son concealed with magic. Long story short, they gave the book to the son and refused to take the reward. Lucy ended up taking a Golden Gate Key, though, for the Maiden Virgo.

Which brings us to the current situation: that of Erza looming over Natsu and Gray while sending glares over at me. "Listen up you two!" she shouted over the noise that is inherent with the Guild Hall. "You as well, Ornyx!" she added, glaring at me. "On my last job I heard a rumour about a Dark Guild setting up a base of operations somewhere in this region, and that they're terrorizing the countryside. Since Makarov's off at the biannual regional meeting, I want you three to come with me and figure out what's going on, and if possible, neutralize the threat posed by this guild."

"Erza, are you sure that's a good idea?" Mira asked. It was well known to everyone in the guild that Natsu and Gray barely got along.

"It'll be fine," Erza darkly replied. "It had better be fine," she added in a lower tone.

"Can Lucy come with?" Natsu asked, looking at the blonde.

Erza glanced at Lucy, her brain coming swiftly to a decision. "Fine," she said curtly. "Ornyx, I want to talk with you. Everyone else, meet at the train station tomorrow morning at 7:30." Gesturing for me to follow, she strode out the door. I sighed, setting down an unknown surprise drink from Mira.

Following, she led me towards an abandoned alleyway. "Alright, Ornyx. I know you don't like talking about your past. I know that everyone's memories of you were wiped, as well as your memories of Fairy Tail, so you don't remember the time you spent here as a child. But I have reason to believe that a demon from the books of Zeref may be involved here."

"I'm assuming by now that good ole Macky has told you about my time with Tartaros, then," I muttered. "With that in mind, it makes sense, then. You want me along because I have some experience with Zeref's demons. Though, apart from the ones that were present at Tartaros, I have no information of Zeref's demons."

"It would still be reassuring to me if you were to come with," Erza replied, turning away.

"This must have you pretty worked up, Erza," I commented. "Not only asking Natsu and Gray, but me as well. I'll come along. It should be interesting, at the very least."

Erza let out a breath. Was she honestly thinking that I might refuse? Does she really think I'm that shallow? Ouch, Erza. Though, I suppose I can't blame her. That is the vibe I'm going for. "7:30 tomorrow morning, right?" I asked, double checking the time. She nodded. "I'll be there."

* * *

I arrived at the station to find Natsu and Gray insulting and goading eachother. Normally this sort of thing would amuse me at the Guild Hall, but that's because normally I'd have a good thirty feet between them and me. It would be a very long train ride if they continued this way. Lucy was sitting on a nearby bench, along with Happy. A quick glance at my watch told me it was 7:25.

"If I have to put up with this for the duration of the train ride, I'm going to be very cross," I muttered as I passed the two on my way to a bench. I was ignored. I was tempted to break them up, but decided to just ignore it for now, despite the scene the two were making.

"I'm surprised you're still wearing your shirt, Snowflake!" Natsu shouted quite loudly.

"Shut up, Flame Brain! You don't know what you're talking about!" Gray retorted. I sighed.

"Oh. Is that Erza there?" I asked, pointing in a random direction. The effect was immediate - Natsu and Gray, who had both been trying to put eachother in a headlock instantly relaxed, acting like lifelong friends.

"No, I'm over here," Erza's voice sounded from behind me.

I turned around. "Hey Erza. 'Sup?"

"You need to take things far more seriously," she chided, walking towards the train. "Everyone, get on the train. We've got things to discuss."

A few minutes and an unconscious Natsu later, the six of us were in a private compartment of the train. Gray and Lucy were sitting on one seat with Happy between them, while Erza sat across from them with Natsu splayed out beside her. I myself was sitting on the floor with my back pressed up against the wall beneath the window, facing towards the door.

"If we're going to be fighting together, it'd be a good idea for us to know what everyone else can do," Erza announced. "It should be fairly well known to everyone that Natsu uses fire magic, while Gray uses ice magic. Happy is absolutely useless," she continued.

"Aye, sir!" the blue cat piped up. Does he even know what he's agreeing with?

"What magic do you use?" Lucy asked in the silence following Happy's outburst.

"I use a magic called Re-quip or Ex-quip. It allows me to pull weapons and armor out of a personal pocket dimension. My equipment is enchanted, granting me various abilities depending on what set I wear," she explained. "What about you? Rumor has it that you're a Celestial wizard, if Loke can be trusted to get anything right."

"That's right!" Lucy nearly shouted, evidently glad to be the center of attention for once. "I'm a Celestial Spirit Wizard. I have keys for the Little Dog, the Golden Bull, the Maiden, the Great Crab, the Southern Cross, the Lyre, and the Compass."

"Alright, we get it, you've got a lot of keys," I muttered from my spot on the floor.

Lucy shot a glare in my direction. "Alright then, Ornyx. What kind of magic do you use?" Right. As if I'd tell her.

"No one actually knows that kind of magic Ornyx uses except for Ornyx himself," Erza said. "No one, except for Master Makarov. We've never seen him use it. All we know is that he's strong enough to give Gildarts a run for his money." Lucy's face had a blank look.

"Who's Gildarts?" she asked, confused.

"With the possible exception of the Master, he's the strongest wizard in the Guild," Erza explained.

"Let's just say that I could break your mind with the snap of a finger," I muttered.

Gray chose to speak up then, pointedly ignoring my comment. "So what exactly is going on, Erza?" he asked. "I think that we're due an explanation now."

"Alright," Erza agreed. "I was passing through a tavern recently when I heard a small group of wizards talking about some magical artifact that they were trying to acquire. I was busy at the time, and thus unable to put much thought into what they were saying. A condition I regret now," she said, slamming her fist down beside her. Unfortunately for Natsu, he was sprawled out beside her, and took the blow. Fortunately for him, he was already unconscious.

"They were looking for something called Lullaby," she continued, looking at me. "And it sounded like they knew where it was, and had a plan to get it." Lullaby. Lullaby. Why was that familiar?

"Lullaby? You mean like a song you put people to sleep with?" Lucy asked. I drew in a sharp breath. I knew that I should know something about this Lullaby, but I couldn't think of what.

"I don't know," Erza admitted. "The only reason I'm suspicious now is because I recognized the name of someone who they were going to report to. A man named Erigor."

I sat up straighter at that. Erigor was a name I recognized. "Isn't he the strongest wizard in that Eisenwald guild?"

Erza nodded darkly. "Yes, he is." Lucy looked confused. I swear, is that girl ever not confused? I sighed.

"Eisenwald is a Dark Guild, Lucy. They went off the grid a few years ago after the Council outlawed assassination requests. Eisenwald didn't take kindly to losing such a lucrative source of income, so they continued to accept assassination jobs. When the Council got wind of it, they ordered the guild to disband. They didn't, but they've been stricken from legal guild records."

Lucy's face paled a bit at the thought. "So we're going up against a guild of killers?!" she asked, somewhat hysterically.

"Calm down, Lucy. This is no time for hysterics," I admonished. I myself was still somewhat frustrated by my inability to recall why the word Lullaby seemed so familiar. It made me uneasy.

"He's right. We need to plan," Erza added. "We need to root out Eisenwald before they have a chance to use this Lullaby for nefarious purposes. I have a few ideas, but I'd like to flesh them out a bit more before discussing them."

"So why did you bring us along?" Gray asked.

"I'm not a fool," Erza responded after a moment. "I don't think I can take on an entire guild single-handedly. That's why I brought you guys along. You are amongst the strongest wizard's at the guild - at least, you were when I was there. I want to get this taken care of quickly." I smirked. Seems like the great Erza isn't as invincible as rumors say.

We spent the rest of the train ride in silence, listening to Natsu's groans and the sound of the railway beneath us. It amused me that a guy as energetic as Natsu could be reduced to a gibbering mess by the mere introduction of a moving platform to his environment. That motion sickness of his is absolutely insane.

* * *

When we arrived at the station and departed the train, I felt that sense of uneasiness growing. I was just about to mention it to Erza when a more pressing concern came up.

"Where's Natsu?" the obnoxious cat asked. For once, something relevant came out of his mouth! Glancing around, we saw no trace of Natsu.

"He's probably still unconscious on the train," I replied. "Someone should probably grab him."

"I'll go," Erza said, turning back towards the train. Before she could take more than a few steps, though, the trains whistle sounded and the train began moving. Everyone stood frozen in shock as we watched the train rapidly growing smaller as the distance between it and us increased.

"I don't know about you, Erza, but if I were you trying to get Natsu of that train…" I commented. "I'd hurry." I was actually being kind of serious. My sense of unease was growing as the train got farther and farther away. Erza looked around, muttering something to herself.

"This is my fault. I know how bad Natsu is with transportation, and I knocked him out to make the trip easier for him. But how could I forget about taking him off the train?" Spinning around to us, she yelled. "One of you, hit me! I need to suffer penance for my actions!"

Gray, Happy, and Lucy just stared in shock, too terrified to do anything even with an invitation. I, however, saw a great opportunity to embarrass Erza. "Wow, Erza. Didn't know you were a masochist. That'll go over great with the guild."

Erza turned away from me with a huff. Before she had her back completely to me, though, I saw a slight pink tint to her cheeks. Evidently she noticed something, though, as she started sprinting away from us in a straight line. Looking ahead of her, I saw what she was running towards.

 _Clever girl, heading for the emergency brakes._ Following behind at a more sedate pace, I arrived in time to hear her explaining herself to a station worker.

"It's for my comrade. I would explain, but there's no time. Now, is there a magic-mobile around that I could rent?" Yup, that's Erza. Always planning ahead.

"Y-Yeah," the worker responded, withering under Erza's intense gaze. "Go a few platforms that way and you'll see it. You can't miss it." I grabbed Erza's arm as she started running in the direction the man pointed.

"I'm going after the train my own way," I told her. "Go without me. I've got this sense of unease that I just can't shake." She nodded, grabbed Gray and Lucy who had caught up to us, and dragged them with her towards the magic-mobile rental. I myself stepped into a dark corner of the station, away from prying eyes.

"Reality Warp: Teleport!" I muttered. Shadows bent and wrapped around my body as the air shimmered, gaining a wavy texture. A moment later, the station around me disappeared, only to be replaced with the image of a train with a demolished car. Peering through the shattered windows, I saw Natsu facing another man, with a strange looking stick on the ground between them.

The stick had a skull on one end and an opening on the other. Suddenly, my sense of unease clicked for me. Lullaby. One of Zeref's first demons that he created. Upon his failure, he was trapped in the form of a flute, his powers only available to him when someone played a song on the flute.

A song of death. A song to lull people into a deep sleep, from which they would never awake.

A shout drew my attention. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" Natsu shouted, leaping at the man across from him.

"Shadow Shield!" the man yelled in response, slamming his fist into the ground. A dome of shadows lifted out of the ground, forming a shield around him. Natsu's charge stopped when his fist came into contact with the shield. Though he dispersed the shadows, he failed to penetrate the barrier with enough force to do sufficient damage.

"I'd love to stay and chat, fly," the man said. "But I've got a package to deliver." He darted forward and grabbed the flute from the ground. He then proceeded to dive into a shadow and disappear.

Stepping through the destroyed car, I approached Natsu. "What was that about?" I asked in reference to the man.

"I've no idea," Natsu replied. "He attacked me because he saw my Guild mark. Said something about being from Eisenwald."

"I see. Well, Erza and the others are on their way, so we might as well just be patient until they arrive."

We didn't have to wait long for the others to show up. Erza was driving a magic-mobile at about the maximum speed one could handle without falling apart. She was also driving like a madman with no care for their own safety. Damn, she must've felt bad. What was even more amusing, though, was that Gray was clinging to the roof of the vehicle. Normally, I'd say that wouldn't be the smartest seating arrangement, but with Erza driving… I applaud his bravery for merely touching the thing.

"Hey Erza, 'sup?" I asked when she stopped the vehicle. "Y'know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were on the verge of overloading that SE plug."

"Just shut up and get in the damn car," Erza muttered. I smirked.

"No way in hell. I'll handle my own transportation. You can take Natsu, though. Just tell me where we're headed."

She got out of the driver's seat and grabbed Natsu. Before forcing him into the car, though, she stopped. "You were in a fight," she stated.

"Yeah," he replied. "Ran into some guy who said he was from Eisenwald."

"And where is he now?" Erza asked darkly.

"I don't know," Natsu answered. "He leapt into a shadow and vanished."

"You idiot!" Erza shouted. "How could you let him get away?! I just got through explaining that Eisenwald is the guild that we're going to take apart!"

I buried my face in my hands. Did she not realize that she knocked him out, and as such was not part of the conversation? "Erza, calm down," I said placatingly. "It's not Natsu's fault the guy got away. We need to plan our next step, and you and I need to have a discussion."

She took a deep breath. "You're right," she said. "We need to return to the station and grab our luggage. Then, we need to figure out our next move. They know we're here, so we need to be ready for anything." She threw Natsu into the vehicle, then slipped the SE plug back over her arm.

I waved her on. "As I said, I'll get there on my own."

* * *

 **A/N: Standard disclaimer. I don't own Fairy Tail, yadda yadda yadda.**

 **Don't forget to leave a review. Not that you need to. Just motivates me to write faster when I get feedback from you guys.**


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